Who Will Die
by AmySoto
Summary: Serena Cousland had wanted adventure and a life outside of an arranged marriage. Aiden Amell had always desired a chance to prove himself and see the world beyond Highever. Now they both have their wish, but at what price? What will love, loyalty, and infamy cost them in the end? Will it be a price too high to pay?
1. Chapter 1: Too High a Price

**Arl Eamon's Estate: Denerim**

They said that if it rained before a battle, that it was the Maker crying over the shed blood of his children. Serena Cousland had a difficult time believing that the Maker would hold love for such terrible creatures as the Darkspawn she and the others would be facing come morning, and the implied action of grieving the Maker would be doing on their behalf did little to comfort her. It only meant that more people who were relying on her would die. The possibility that their deaths would be in vain was beginning to weigh heavily on her mind. She took a deep breath, trying to let the smell of the damp earth soothe her while she waited for Riordan along-side her brother-in-arms. The Senior Orlesian was currently in the hallway with a very confused and irritated Alistair who was demanding to be allowed to take part in their meeting.

' _Just let it go love_ ,' Serena thought as she closed her eyes and silently willed the future King to do her bidding. A few tense moments and choice words later, the blonde former Templar left, and Riordan moved into the room and shut the door soundly behind him.

He heaved a sigh then lifted his war weary gaze to search the faces of the two people waiting in the shared silence of those who knew what they were about to hear would not be pleasant.

"Well," the raven haired warrior at Serena's side prompted with a curt nod in the Orlesian man's direction, "what must you tell us that is so dark that it warrants you send away the man who will very soon be the King of these lands?" Riordan slid a hand over his face to hide his grim smile at the haughty man's tone.

"If you are attempting to imply that I was sent here to try and start laying the path for an Orlesian invasion then you are also implying that I take my oath to the Warden's very lightly," Riordan's tone turned to ice as he added. "I am very protective of my honor as a soldier and a Warden, Brother." The younger man nodded to show his respect, and the Senior of the group had to admit that he liked the boy's bold nature. "What I must tell you," the umber haired Warden said eyeing the two before him, "is how Wardens kill Archdemons. It is why we are the only ones who are able to stop a Blight…when an Archdemon dies its soul defects from its body and will attempt to attach to the nearest Darkspawn in order to rise once again. This works because Darkspawn are soulless beings. We humans however, are not. When a Grey Warden strikes the killing blow, the Archdemon's soul will attempt to burry itself within them, but the soul of an Old God cannot reside in a another soul's body and it is therefore destroyed. The catch…is that it will also kill the Grey Warden to strikes the final blow."

The two before him stared at him with a mixture of rage and abject horror in their gazes. "Now you see why I did not wish to impart this knowledge on your friend. Alistair will be King here, and he will do well in the position I think, part of that is because he is such a noble man. But as a noble man, he would never allow people he cares about to perish when he could be the one to do it instead."

"A wise course of action, thank you," Serena said in a tone that made her regal lineage show through. Riordan bowed respectfully at the copper haired woman, to show his thanks at her support. The Orlesian was not blind. He knew that she wielded exceptional influence over those who followed her, especially the future King.

"It is my intention that neither of you shall die either," Riordan informed the two young people. "As the Senior among you I will attempt to strike the final blow myself. If I fail however, the task falls to one of you." Serena Cousland and Aiden Amell nodded simultaneously as they said in unison, "Understood." As the two friends moved off down the hall Riordan couldn't help the feeling of dread that welled up within him. Why in the Maker's name a soul so young and bright as one of theirs would be allowed to be put out was beyond his comprehension. He shook his head and turned to go back into his room when suddenly a vice-like hand clamped down on his forearm.

Riordan whirled and found himself face to face with the angry blonde he had sent away earlier. "You will tell me what you told them," Alistair snarled in a tone very befitting of a King. It almost made the Orlesian smile. The boy was good in nature, strong in spirit, and none too surprisingly, fierce at heart.

Serena said good night to her brother then made her way towards her own chambers down the hall. She was a little surprised that Alistair was not inside impatiently waiting for her, but she was nearly startled out of her skin when she spotted Morrigan standing before her fireplace. "Andraste's…" the copper haired woman shook her head and grinned softly as the mage turned to face her. The rogue managed to not offend the Bride of the Maker by settling for a sigh instead of a small tirade on the merits of someone actually inviting you into their room. "Is everything alright?" The ebony haired goddess of a witch tipped her hips to one side and chewed her lower lip for a moment.

"No," she said softly, "tis not so at the moment. In fact I would dare to say that very little is right…"

"Okay, now you have my full attention and my unease," Serena said bracing her legs apart and folding her arms over her chest. It was an authoritative pose that she had adopted from watching her father, and perfected as the leader of their little band of walking oddities.

"I do not know how to tell you this, but suffice it to say that I know about the Grey Warden's sacrifice. I know that one of you must die on the morrow…but I also know a way in which none must perish to stop the Blight." Serena's steal blue eyes narrowed with suspicion, "What do you mean?"

"There is a ritual, one my Mother taught me, and the very reason why she sent me with you. If I were to lay with one of the male Warden's tonight and conceive a child, I could draw the soul of the Old God into myself and trap it." The witch spoke in a matter of fact tone, so straight forward and bedpan that Serena nearly giggled in frantic hopes that she was not hearing Morrigan correctly. Sleep with either Alistair or Aiden was what the witch meant, become pregnant with their child, and then submit that very child to the exposure of an Old God's soul…It was beyond Serena's currently feeble comprehension. She hadn't realized that she had moved to sit down on the edge of a nearby chair until Morrigan was looming over her.

"Now is not the time for you to lose your head Warden," the witch snapped, "and you are the only one who could convince either of those men to take part in the Ritual." Morrigan had known that what she would tell her friend would upset her, but she had not been prepared for the experience of actually seeing the pain she was causing a woman who had somehow become special to her. Serena was a woman to be admired. She kept her cool in the midst of constant chaos, she shielded others with her determination and her impossibly kind heart. Seeing this woman's face and knowing she was the cause of that grief. To be the pebble that finally shattered that composure was a burden that Morrigan knew she would carry with her for the rest of her life.

Serena blinked, her mind finally catching back up with the information she had just learned. A million things flew through her mind; memories of watching her adopted brother stumble blindly into his first love, she and Alistair sharing their first kiss, naming the very man she loved into a station that he hated and one that might end their relationship…She shut her eyes tightly, she had betrayed that man enough, and she would never jeopardize Aiden's own chance at happiness. Rage bubbled up in the rogue's belly, she tried to act rationally, tried to force herself to see this all from the other woman's point of view. The only thought that seemed to burn its way forward was how little Morrigan cared whether or not her Ritual would tear them all apart.

The shorter woman leapt back up onto her feet glaring now, with those eyes that could cut a person as surely as her daggers. Even in the light of the fire, Serena's eyes emitted a chill as she spoke. "You would dare ask me to coerce either my own brother, or the man I love into having sex with you! Not even just that, but the very act would assuredly result in a child being dragged into this before they were even born!" Serena knew she was very close to shouting loud enough that everyone in the Arl's estate could hear her, and inhaled sharply to remind herself to speak evenly. Her voice came out in a chilling hiss as she concluded with, "You had better get out of my room before I skin you alive witch,"

Morrigan fled with as much dignity as she could muster. She knew that the friendship she had held with Serena was gone, and it crushed her heart in ways she had never imagined possible. _'It could have been worse_ ,' the witch tried to tell herself, ' _you could have attempted to persuade Aiden_ …' Morrigan shuddered at that dark prospect. Serena's friendship had been almost expected, with the other woman's overly trusting and open hearted nature making her insufferably kind in the witches' original opinion. Unexpectedly the woman was also dedicated to her craft as a rogue, and was never afraid to put someone in their place, it was this natural command that had drawn Morrigan to her. Aiden on the other hand was quite possibly the truest sense of a friend that the Wild's apostate really had.

The black haired woman recalled how he had charmed her with flirtations, and how unexpectedly jealous she had been when the elven assassin had shown up and stolen the warrior's attention almost entirely…well admittedly perhaps not as instantly as it seemed in her memory. But she had felt, jilted in some way all the same. Imagine her surprise when he still flirted and offered gifts, either baubles of craft or conversation. There was still warmth between them. Not physical in any way, but still powerful enough to terrify her. What would the man's reaction to her betrayal be? She had seen what he could do to creatures that opposed him or angered him countless times, but she had only ever seen him faced by a betrayer once…such rage… She shuddered at the memory, so lost in her imagining that very anger cast on her that she ran headlong into the very man she was thinking of.

He caught her upper arms in his large hands to steady her and blinked down at her with his coal black eyes.

"Morrigan," Aiden Amell asked in a hesitant tone, "are you crying?" The tall mage watched his friend's face carefully trying to read any additional information he could in that golden gaze. She brushed her hands over her eyes in a way that told Aiden she hadn't realized the tears there, a fact that worried him even more. He had just been on his way to see his sister when Morrigan had come flying around the corner from the very hallway where Serena's rooms stood. Had the two women fought over something? And what would warrant such a reaction from the witch?

"I…tis nothing…" the ebony haired mage said quickly.

"Morrigan," Aiden said reaching out to snag hold of the woman's hand, preventing her from fleeing. He continued in a low voice, "You can't bullshit me, what's going on?

Maybe it would be better if they all hated her… "Morrigan, look at me, and tell me what's going on? You're scaring the man out of me just standing there like this."

' _No one could change the man in you'_ , the witch thought with a small chuckle. In an instant her mask was back on, a face she hadn't used with Aiden since long ago when their journey had only just begun. Its appearance startled the big man who was instantly on guard, being the brunt of one of Morrigan's mental showdowns was not something one easily forgot.

"Perhaps your voice of reason has not abandoned you like your sister's has her," she said haughtily. "I know a way in which none of you has to die, however the leader of our group has already informed me that my Ritual shall not take place. If you will excuse me," she huffed trying to push by the warrior. She should have known better, as Aiden easily reached out and hauled her back before him.

"Explain," he snapped, sounding more like he was addressing a subordinate soldier again rather than a woman he viewed as an equal and a companion. In a hushed matter-of-fact tone Morrigan told the raven haired man everything she had Serena, bracing herself for another storm of rage to be directed at her the moment she finished her careful speech. Instead Aiden stood there for a long moment in silence, his eyes and body language revealing nothing to the tense mage. "I see…and you asked my sister if she could convince either myself or Alistair to take part in said Ritual?" The Witch of the Wild's nodded, her lips drawn tightly together as if she were bracing for an attack. The action was telling to Aiden who nodded, "You had to know none of us would be happy about this," he stated in a tone that made Morrigan lift her gaze to meet his.

"I knew…but I also knew that not doing it would leave one of you to die…I thought that none of you would want that either," she snapped.

"We don't Morrigan, just like you don't want to see us die." Aiden's words delivered in that same even tone as always blew the tension that had been holding the witches' composure together right out of her. What was left was a woman who was very scared, and had no other way of helping. "Go to your rooms Morrigan," Aiden advised with a gentle push. Fear shot through the apostate's heart as she turned to look at her friend, his dismissal was maddening. Did he want to die, or risk Serena striking that final blow? "I will come and talk to you later," he said in a comforting tone that took the edge off of her panic.

Aiden watched the troubled woman go then turned to open the door to his own chambers. When he entered his heart jumped at the sight of Zevran sitting patiently in a chair near the fire. The tanned elf turned his golden-green eyes on the human which sparked as he smiled. "Ah there you are mi amante," Zevran said standing and moving towards his lover. The two embraced and instantly the elf could feel the tension in the other man. He pulled back and looked up at Aiden with questioning eyes, "You fear the battle tomorrow…this I know, but your eyes tell me that you are with fresh troubles. Tell me?"

The big human ran a hand back through his thick hair as he tried to find the right way to tell Zevran what he had just learned. The elf waited, knowing that his lover was not remaining silent simply for his own benefit. That did not make waiting out the tense moment any easier for the now edgy assassin. Aiden sighed then grabbed onto the elf's hand and led him over to the chairs by the fire, motioning for Zevran to sit. The Antivan man settled down and the Ferelden warrior mirrored the action, bracing himself up with his elbows on his knees as he looked over at his elven lover.

"We…myself, Serena, Alistair, and Riordan are the only ones who can stop this Blight Zev…and the only way to do it…" the big man sighed heavily, "I can't reveal all of it to you, but suffice it to say that one of us may not be walking away from this fight…"

"Such a detail would give that man apt reason to exclude your future King from that conversation of his…" Aiden grinned despite his own discomfort.

"Spying were you?"

"I would never spy, but a worried man might eavesdrop," the elf replied cheekily. Again Aiden smiled, reaching out to take one of Zevran's hands in his own larger one. He appreciated Zevran's ability to take things at face value, to take on every obstacle with a straightforward attitude, now more than ever.

"Morrigan has a way to negate this event…but it is almost worse…" In a soft whisper the raven haired man told his lover what the witches' Ritual consisted of, ending with, "I do not even know if we should put all of our hopes in the Ritual either…what if it didn't work anyways?"

"So," Zevran said carefully trying to keep his own panic down, "either you or Alistair must have a child with Morrigan, or one of you will die…and one of you may still perish…tis a solid plan no?" Behind the joke there was a bitter bite in the assassin's voice. Out of everyone in the group Zevran should have been the last to object to sharing his partner, especially with a woman as attractive as the Wilds mage, but somewhere along the lines Aiden had become _his_. The thought of sharing him now, after everything they had been through was laughable…but the thought of losing him…

Zevran knew the man before him well enough to know that if this Ritual of Morrigan's was not performed, Aiden Amell would take the duty upon himself should Riordan fail. And then he would be alone, again. Imagining the world without this man…was a dark lonely existence indeed. The elf sighed gripping his lover's hand even more tightly, "You would do this not knowing whether or not it worked? You would have a son or daughter that you may never see…these are things to consider also."

"I must also consider my sister, who lost her entire family save for perhaps her real brother, and who now has Alistair. I can't imagine either one of them being alright without each other, and I know Serena would not ask this of the man she loves, or me for that matter, to do either. I only know because I forced Morrigan to tell me…"

"I do not wish to lose either of them, or you in any way…I know that it is selfish and spoiled of me, but I dislike the thought of you with another even though I know it would possibly save all of your lives…" the elf sighed so heavily that his ears drooped down an inch. "I do not want to lose anyone who is important to me ever again…"

The information was staggering, one of them might die…Alistair sagged against the wall outside of Serena's room. He couldn't lose her, but the thought of Aiden her brother dead…Alistair knew the woman had lost too much already and he no longer knew if they could be together once he became King. The reality of it all had settled on his shoulders a long time ago. Maker, he'd actually grown up. The task of being Ferelden's next monarch was still a daunting one, but one that he would meet with the same quite firmness he had always faced a challenge with. But this…the need for a death in their ranks…it was beyond him. What would he do without her?

Alistair opened the door to the room without knocking and found Serena sitting before the fireplace, staring at the dancing reds and yellows before her with eyes like glass. She was so deeply enrapt in her thoughts that she did not notice him there, giving him a moment to simply look at her. This woman he loved, how complex she really was: a noble by birth, a Warden by Circumstance, a leader by trait, and kinder than any member of the Chantry Alistair had ever seen boasting about having a heart of gold. Serena Cousland was the perfect woman in his opinion. She drove him mad sometimes with her logic and her acute ability to run into the middle of dangerous situations, but Maker he'd never have her any other way.

She sat now with her legs tucked carefully under her, brushing her hair out of her shoulder length braid while she thought. The firelight caught in her copper locks, setting them ablaze with a glow that made her seem almost ethereal with her blue and silver gaze. He knew then as he looked at her, that she was deciding just how she was going to go about not telling him about what Riordan had told her and Aiden. The former Templar knelt down behind his rogue and looped an arm around her waist pulling her back up against his broad chest. Serena started then quickly relaxed as she realized who was holding her. She snuggled back against her man and muttered, "You scared me."

"Liar, you don't get scared," he teased as he kissed her cheek. She frowned and turned her gaze to look directly up at him.

"I'm scared about tomorrow," she confessed, her eyes holding a great sadness that he now understood.

"Don't be," he said even as a lump welled up into his own throat, "we're going to be alright."

 _We_ , Serena thought sadly, would never come to be…As Grey Wardens they would never grow old together, have children, any of those wonderful things…but now with the Blight, they wouldn't even have any more time together. Serena tried to convince herself it would be better this way. Alistair would rule, he would be a great king with an undoubtedly lovely and well-mannered wife. She would give him fine children, and he would have a legitimate heir to take over once the Taint finally consumed him. And no other child would be harmed, not by Morrigan's terrible Ritual, or by their own mixed bad blood.

"Alistair…" she said in a voice no louder than a whisper, "I love you…you know that right?"

"Of course I do, I happen to love you back you know," he said.

"Even if…even if," she took a sharp breath, "even if your becoming King separates us, I will always love you."

"I'd sort of rather have you up there all fancy and uncomfortable with me," he hedged and she sighed a laugh. Maker, here she was facing down the darkest decision of her life and he could still make her smile. It was sickening how happy he made her she thought with a small shake of her head, which sent still wavy locks of her hair swaying around her shoulders. He reached up and ran his fingers through them, while looking into her worried eyes.

"We are going to get through this. And I will always love you, no matter what." Serena leaned up to kiss the man she loved. The man who would be King, the man she would die for…Aiden would take care of him, bolster him up, and care for him alongside Zevran who she knew would watch both of their backs. She was the weak link, her relationship with Alistair could threaten the balance of a fragile kingdom, besides as their leader it was her duty to shoulder this burden. In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. In death…sacrifice. She had taken an oath, and she had meant every word. She had a duty to Ferelden, as a Warden and as a Cousland.

Alistair watched the steel of determination work its way through Serena's eyes and wondered just what was going on in that head of hers? She suddenly leaned up to kiss him, her lips both gentle and frantic. She didn't know how to tell him goodbye. To tell him it would be alright, and that she loved him…oh how she truly loved him. She could never allow him to fulfill the Ritual, no matter how scared she was. Scared of losing him, of losing any of her friends, her brother, and she was afraid to die. If she had had the chance to slay the Archdemon right after the siege on Highever, she would have done it and gladly. But now she realized she could build a new life from the ashes of what once was. She could have a life…she had thought she could.

It had been a nice dream; it had carried her through many things. Given her strength when she otherwise had none, but it nearly seemed like fate that this newfound happiness of hers would eventually be ripped from her. What a petty thought it was, she should have been more grateful, Serena thought scolding herself. And no matter what, she knew she had Alistair's heart, even if only briefly. To be loved so completely, to find herself and have someone accept both her past and who she had grown to be over the last year…she couldn't have asked for more. Her fingers laced together behind Alistair's head and held him close as she deepened the kiss.

While Serena's forefathers might have preferred a battle that warranted their call of arms, audaces juvant! Fortune favors the bold, it seemed the days of black and white war had ended for her. She found herself more akin to Aiden's personal oath as a knight, "Duty before desire, death before dishonor". She had a duty to the Wardens, a duty to Zevran as her friend, Aiden as her vassal, and Alistair as her King. She would do whatever it took come morning, for now she would settle for the dream one last night.


	2. Chapter 2: Rooftop Requiem

The information was staggering, one of them might die…Alistair sagged against the wall outside of Serena's room. He couldn't lose her, but the thought of Aiden her brother dead…Alistair knew the woman had lost too much already and he no longer knew if they could be together once he became King. The reality of it all had settled on his shoulders a long time ago. Maker, he'd actually grown up. The task of being Ferelden's next monarch was still a daunting one, but one that he would meet with the same quite firmness he had always faced a challenge with. But this…the need for a death in their ranks…it was beyond him. What would he do without her?

Alistair opened the door to the room without knocking and found Serena sitting before the fireplace, staring at the dancing reds and yellows before her with eyes like glass. She was so deeply enrapt in her thoughts that she did not notice him there, giving him a moment to simply look at her. This woman he loved, how complex she really was: a noble by birth, a Warden by Circumstance, a leader by trait, and kinder than any member of the Chantry Alistair had ever seen boasting about having a heart of gold. Serena Cousland was the perfect woman in his opinion. She drove him mad sometimes with her logic and her acute ability to run into the middle of dangerous situations, but Maker he'd never have her any other way.

She sat now with her legs tucked carefully under her, brushing her hair out of her shoulder length braid while she thought. The firelight caught in her copper locks, setting them ablaze with a glow that made her seem almost ethereal with her blue and silver gaze. He knew then as he looked at her, that she was deciding just how she was going to go about not telling him about what Riordan had told her and Aiden. The former Templar knelt down behind his rogue and looped an arm around her waist pulling her back up against his broad chest. Serena started then quickly relaxed as she realized who was holding her. She snuggled back against her man and muttered, "You scared me."

"Liar, you don't get scared," he teased as he kissed her cheek. She frowned and turned her gaze to look directly up at him.

"I'm scared about tomorrow," she confessed, her eyes holding a great sadness that he now understood.

"Don't be," he said even as a lump welled up into his own throat, "we're going to be alright."

 _We_ , Serena thought sadly, would never come to be…As Grey Wardens they would never grow old together, have children, any of those wonderful things…but now with the Blight, they wouldn't even have any more time together. Serena tried to convince herself it would be better this way. Alistair would rule, he would be a great king with an undoubtedly lovely and well-mannered wife. She would give him fine children, and he would have a legitimate heir to take over once the Taint finally consumed him. And no other child would be harmed, not by Morrigan's terrible Ritual, or by their own mixed bad blood.

"Alistair…" she said in a voice no louder than a whisper, "I love you…you know that right?"

"Of course I do, I happen to love you back you know," he said.

"Even if…even if," she took a sharp breath, "even if your becoming King separates us, I will always love you."

"I'd sort of rather have you up there all fancy and uncomfortable with me," he hedged and she sighed a laugh. Maker, here she was facing down the darkest decision of her life and he could still make her smile. It was sickening how happy he made her she thought with a small shake of her head, which sent still wavy locks of her hair swaying around her shoulders. He reached up and ran his fingers through them, while looking into her worried eyes.

"We are going to get through this. And I will always love you, no matter what." Serena leaned up to kiss the man she loved. The man who would be King, the man she would die for…Aiden would take care of him, bolster him up, and care for him alongside Zevran who she knew would watch both of their backs. She was the weak link, her relationship with Alistair could threaten the balance of a fragile kingdom, besides as their leader it was her duty to shoulder this burden. In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. In death…sacrifice. She had taken an oath, and she had meant every word. She had a duty to Ferelden, as a Warden and as a Cousland.

Alistair watched the steel of determination work its way through Serena's eyes and wondered just what was going on in that head of hers? She suddenly leaned up to kiss him, her lips both gentle and frantic. She didn't know how to tell him goodbye. To tell him it would be alright, and that she loved him…oh how she truly loved him. She could never allow him to fulfill the Ritual, no matter how scared she was. Scared of losing him, of losing any of her friends, her brother, and she was afraid to die. If she had had the chance to slay the Archdemon right after the siege on Highever, she would have done it and gladly. But now she realized she could build a new life from the ashes of what once was. She could have a life…she had thought she could.

It had been a nice dream; it had carried her through many things. Given her strength when she otherwise had none, but it nearly seemed like fate that this newfound happiness of hers would eventually be ripped from her. What a petty thought it was, she should have been more grateful, Serena thought scolding herself. And no matter what, she knew she had Alistair's heart, even if only briefly. To be loved so completely, to find herself and have someone accept both her past and who she had grown to be over the last year…she couldn't have asked for more. Her fingers laced together behind Alistair's head and held him close as she deepened the kiss.

While Serena's forefathers might have preferred a battle that warranted their call of arms, audaces juvant! Fortune favors the bold, it seemed the days of black and white war had ended for her. She found herself more akin to Aiden's personal oath as a knight, "Duty before desire, death before dishonor". She had a duty to the Wardens, a duty to Zevran as her friend, Aiden as her vassal, and Alistair as her King. She would do whatever it took come morning, for now she would settle for the dream one last night.

"Tegan, look out!" The brunette Bann was saved from having his head taken off by a timely dagger placed by Serena Cousland. Tegan nodded at the fierce woman and the two watched each other's back during the duration of the skirmish. Once it was over the members of Serena's little group converged at the center of the battle field to strategize their next move. The copper haired rogue looked at her companions and nodded firmly, her gaze flickering over each of them. "We will not all engage the Darkspawn in the fort," she said calmly though her companions all looked unhappy about this decision of hers. "Sten, you will lead Leliana, Zevran, Oghren, Shale, and Orion. It will be your job to keep the rest of the Horde from entering the city, alright? The rest of you, aside from Alistair, are with me," she ended her commands and turned to start towards Fort Drakkon when a large hand settled on her wrist. She turned back to find Alistair standing beside her shaking his helmed head.

"The decisions of a King outweigh even the Warden Commander, I'm coming with you and Aiden." Just as Serena was about to start in arguing a loud screech sounded from overhead. They all looked up horrified to find that they could see Riordan clinging tightly to a sword he had driven into the Archdemon's back. The monster flew up, barreling through a guard tower as if it were made of straw and not stone, in an attempt to shake its attacker free.

It worked.

The Senior Warden leapt off of the demon's back, to avoid being crushed, and stabbed a second sword down through the beast's wing. The thin flesh of the wing fold simply couldn't hold up against sharp steel, and the man's weight dragged him down the wing, rending it nearly in two, before he fell.

Serena grit her teeth, Riordan was dead, her worst fears were about to become her reality. She turned to Alistair and shoved him towards Tegan, "You will stay here _Your Majesty_ , or I shall see to it that you cannot walk well enough to follow!"

"Your threats don't scare me little woman," Alistair growled at her, but she held firm. His more dominant side was one she knew well, and besides she had always been meaner than he could ever dream to be.

"You Chantry pampered twit," she snarled back, gripping the grate of his helm and yanking him down to her eye level, "you'll only get in our way. This is an Archdemon, not some genlock you can keep at bay with your shield. Leave this to us." There was a time when such words would have frozen Alistair in place, left to stammer silently in his head as this beautiful woman walked away from him. Now he knew how to put his foot down.

"Unless you actually plan on slicing my tendons to the point where I'll never walk again, then you can't stop me from coming with you," he returned in a tone that left little room for argument. Serena frowned at him in a way that made him wonder if she wasn't about to tell Aiden to incapacitate him for her.

"Alistair, we can't risk the future King of Ferelden dying," she said sharply, and loudly enough that Teagan and the others heard it as well.

"And what better way to make sure I'm alive than by having me with you hmm? We're wasting time by the way," he said turning to lead the way into the fort. Serena was certain she had gone insane, where had the man with the pushover attitude and arguing skills of a mountain flower gone?

War, she suddenly realized watching him go, the others already following out of instinct, he had gone to war and become the King she had known was beneath. Quickly she jogged after Alistair, Aiden, and the others. As the warrior walked past Zevran he paused to look at his lover and send the elf a half-hearted smile as he reached down and pulled the smaller man close. "Stay safe Zev, wherever you go after this…you can always run back here and Serena and Alistair will make certain you are safe…" They kissed for a split second, just enough contact to know that the other was really there, and then Aiden was gone.

The fighting to reach Fort Drakkon was just as bad as the fighting they encountered once inside. Both were equally as bloody as the fighting taking place at the city gates. The group fought cohesively under Sten's command, just as they had been forced to in the absence of Serena and Aiden in the past, but the air where the missing companions should have been felt heavy all the same to the others. The Darkspawn fought with particular ferocity as they tried to make it to their leader, whose screams echoed from the top of the not too distant fort. Zevran worried about the battle, about Aiden…he did not want it to end in such a way, but he also knew that this was no fairytale. He didn't get to pick the fact that Aiden was a Grey Warden and that he would do anything to protect his sister and his King, as was his duty. Duty before desire…truer words couldn't have been attributed to that man.

Another particularly loud screak sounded from the rooftop, drawing Zevran's gaze even in the midst of another skirmish. He narrowly avoided being run through by a Hurlock when Sten got in the way and sliced the thing in two.

"Thank you…" the elf began to say but he was cut off as the Qunari grumbled, "You are distracted and it does not sit well with me to have an unfocused bah under my care." Zevran initially bristled at Sten's words, taking them for an insult until the big man added, "You should go find them," in a low tone. Surprised, but never one to let an opportunity pass him by, the elf dispatched a Genlock then turned and sprinted after the direction Aiden and the others had gone not so long ago.

Even though Aiden and the others had pretty well decimated every Darkspawn they encountered, the problem was that where one corpse lay it always seemed another creature would come to take its place. It was probably through sheer luck and no small bit of skill that Zevran made it to the tower on his own.

Once inside the tower the elf had little trouble as the winding hallways and dark corners of Drakkon allowed him to use his assassin skills to move past any enemy. Loud roars and thunderous booms now shook the structure of the fort's main tower, indicating triumph or defeat Zevran could not tell. All he knew was that his lover and friends battled a terrible creature just a few floors overhead.

"Morrigan," Serena shouted as she directed the witches' attacks with the same precision as she always had. The copper haired rogue was currently dancing a deadly duel with a Shriek as it tried to prevent her from getting any closer to the Archdemon. "Blizzard, now!" The rogue slashed through the Shriek's throat and rolled forward. As she came back onto her feet she hurled a sleeve of throwing knives at the Archdemon, a few digging deeply into the vulnerable flesh of the beast's face. She had its attention and now it was up to the witch. "Wynne," Serena called out and she continued to dance and taunt the dragon-like abomination. "Heroic Aura," she shouted just as the Archdemon exhaled a pillar of fire straight down onto the rogue.

The Warden felt Wynne's magic hit her and turned to cover her head, it was all she could do besides pray Morrigan's spell also covered her to help negate the damage of the Arch Demon's fire. A loud thud and a familiar weight pressing down against her made Serena's eyes shoot open. Alistair braced against the impact of the monster's attack, holding his lover close to protect her as all around them dark purple flames rained down.

"Alistair what are you doing," she started to yell just as a gust of icy wind rushed over them, freezing part of Serena's loosening braid.

"Saving your arse it would appear my lady," the blonde said with a grin. He dared a peek over his shield and noted that the Archedemon had gone down. The beast now writhed on the ground, its vulnerable neck exposed.

In an instant Alistair was up and racing towards the creature, Aiden had also seen the opening and charged forward his long legs allowing him to gain on the slightly shorter blonde man. His blood pumping hard in his veins the raven haired arcane warrior's hands lit with magic that imbued his sword with the power of ice in anticipation of the killing blow. He was so concentrated on his goal that Aiden never saw Alistair's shield coming.

The future King slammed the hunk of metal on his arm hard into the big warrior's side, sending him tumbling to the ground as Alistair raced past. The bastard prince kept his focus forward, hurling his shield to the ground to take a better hold on his blade with both hands as he ran. Over the sound of his own labored breathing Alistair thought he heard the shrill whistling whirl of metal through the air an instant before a sharp prick sent pain coursing through his right leg. It was a familiar wound, the same wound Zevran had given him when they had first met and fought on some forsaken Ferelden back road. But this time the blade's razor edge had hampered his right leg, and the one who had thrown it was not the Assassin. Serena hurtled past Alistair as he struggled to try and overcome the pain and force his leg to work. Wynne's healing aura settled on him, urging him to remain still until she was done, but he kept trying.

Zevran burst onto the scene just in time to see Serena rip a sword from one of the fallen on the battle field and Aiden hurl his own blade at the Archdemon at the same instance. The copper haired rogue leapt toward the beast, slicing it along its throat as it desperately tried to defend itself. She then jumped back onto her feet and slammed the sword down through the skull of the monster before her. At the same moment Aiden's blade rammed into the Archdemon's eye embedding itself deeply in the beast's brain.

Serena's hands felt as though they were on fire as suddenly energy rushed all around her. It burned her lungs and the pain drove her from the world. Her mind hurtled through time and space, seeing things that she did not understand, and things she had seen herself. Her heart felt as though it may explode and her head rolled with sickness born of pain. There was a sudden jolt and then a blinding light…

The Archdemon exploded, the shockwave of the blast knocking everyone off of their feet. Zevran saw his friend vanish in the hiss of the light and cried out at the loss he felt even as he was thrown back onto the stone.

A silence rang out over the battlefield that had been the fort's tower. Wynne staggered onto her feet, her magic seeking out familiar friendly energies and bolstering them with her magic. Zevran rolled onto his knees, his sensitive ears ringing from the blast. He forced himself up and looked around the rooftop for his friends. His eyes almost instantly settled on the form of his lover. The elf sprinted towards the warrior, who lay face down on the stone, skidding to a stop and the big man's side. He tugged on a heavily armored shoulder, "Aiden…Aiden Amell! Braska, get up!" There had been so much death for them already…Maker please…


	3. Chapter 3: These Streets Have No Name

**One Year Earlier…**

Aiden Amell landed hard on his back the air leaving his lungs in a hard woosh. He groaned loudly as the smiling face of Serena Cousland appeared over him, "Oh come on Aiden! You're going easy on me, I can see it in your footwork," the shorter woman accused as she reached down to help him back onto his feet. The tall black haired teen grinned sheepishly at her scowling ladyship and shrugged, "I'm sorry Milady, I just really worry that the day will come when I actually hurt you. Then your father and brother would have my head, which I don't know if I've ever mentioned it but I'm rather attached to my head."

"Yes, yes," Serena said rolling her eyes, "that lovely thing that holds the sweet Highever air between your shoulders."

Aiden dramatically placed a hand over his heart as he made a pained face as he responded, "You know winking at the end of every nasty verbal barb you hurl my way does _not_ actually lessen the blow Milady." Serena laughed idly spinning her blunted daggers in each hand, "Just be glad verbal barbs are the only ones I choose to hurl your way my dear friend."

"You two are still out here?" The sound of Ser Gilmore's voice drew the duo's attention as the handsome Captain strode towards them across the packed sand of the castle's outdoor sparing ring. Aiden bowed respectfully to the handsome red head, "It hasn't been overly long has it?"

"Not by my standards or our Ladyship's I'm sure, however your father is another matter Milady."

Serena slapped a hand to her forehead, "Maker! I completely forgot, I'm supposed to be meeting with him to say hello to our old friends the Howes!"

"Yes," Ser Gilmore chided a smile betraying his serious tone. "However at the moment there is another even more pressing matter for you to attend to Milady. It seems your hound has managed to get into the larder again."

Serena groaned, "What am I going to do? Nan is going to skin that dog and my father will likely marry me off to Howe's son if I'm late!" Both men chuckled at their mistress's distress, Aiden finally taking pity on her and sighing, "I shall go to your father and stall for time Milady, you and Ser Gilmore can then with much haste deal with Orion."

"Thank you," Serena cried pulling Aiden into a fierce hug, "I owe you my friend. Come now Ser Gilmore we've not a moment to lose!" Aiden shook his head watching the couple jog away, silently reprimanding his mistress for leaving him to face down two of the most impatient and powerful nobles in the northern bann alone.

Well standing around thinking about it wasn't going to make his task any easier, Aiden thought, and after sheathing his greatsword began to make his way to the main hall of the castle.

As expected Teyrn Cousland was not happy when Aiden arrived without his daughter in tow. "Arl Howe has been patiently waiting for nearly twenty minutes," Bryce Cousland said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Please do not be overly cross with her Ladyship Milord," Aiden said bowing low to both men, "the blame rests at least partially on my shoulders. I lost track of time while her ladyship and I were practicing in the sparing ring, she will be here shortly I believe she wished to freshen up before meeting with the Arl and his family."

"How uncharacteristically ladylike of my sister," Fergus Cousland said letting out a bark of laughter. "Perhaps this arranged marriage business will go over better than you thought Father, if she's so worked up about how she looks?" At the words _arranged_ _marriage_ Aiden froze, it seemed Serena's worst fears were to be confirmed. Bryce scoffed and rolled his eyes in response, "Fergus it's like you don't even know your own sister." He shook his head his gaze dancing with laughter as he looked at Aiden, "Your intentions and your loyalty to my daughter is most heartwarming Ser Amell, but we both know she is more likely to have run off in search of a dragon to slay than anything else. I however will not press you, the matter of the arranged marriage on the other hand Howe…"

"I am here! I am so sorry that I am late Father," Serena shouted as she burst into the room, catching herself mid-sprint and straightening up into a more dignified walk as she moved to her father's side. "Good day to you as well Arl Howe," she said smiling pleasantly at the elderly man who's answering smile looked more like a leer in Aiden's opinion.

"Ah Pup," Bryce said his laughing grey eyes taking in his daughter's slightly gore spattered appearance, "I see you've finished _freshening up_ from your sparing match with Ser Amell. Better late than never," the Teyrn added with a chuckle. "You see Howe my daughter is very much her own woman, just like her mother," Bryce said a warm sense of fondness entering his voice as he spoke of his wife, " an arranged marriage however convenient and desired by us, I do not think will happen any time in the near future." Serena visibly blanched and Aiden couldn't help but let out a sigh, he really should have known better than to think the Teyrn would ever force his daughter into an unhappy union.

"You were arranging a marriage Papa?"

"We were discussing the possibility Pup, nothing more."

"Then why exactly did you summon me with all haste?" Bryce smiled and motioned for his guards to open the door at the opposite end of the chamber. A tall dark skinned man with equally dark intense eyes walked into the room. Serena's hands instinctively twitched to the hilts of her daggers as the stranger approached her father in full armor with weapons strapped across his back. "This is Duncan, Pup, he is a Grey Warden here to test Ser Gilmore as a possible recruit into his order." Serena and Aiden bowed in unison, remembering the tales Aldous had told them regarding the Grey Wardens. The man named Duncan surveyed the pair with a critical eye and smiled.

"Well met," he said in a voice that was deep and tempered with age. "I might add that I would be more than happy to appraise any others willing to join my order Teyrn Cousland, the Grey Wardens are sorely in need of new recruits if we are to stop this threat before it becomes a Blight." Serena's blue eyes sparked with interest at Duncan's words.

"Can anyone become a Grey Warden then," she asked eagerly.

"Anyone but my daughter," the Teyrn said firmly moving to stand between Duncan and his daughter, "Unless that is you intent to invoke the Right of Conscription?"

"No, I do not," Duncan said. "It was merely a thought."

"Father, he said they need all the help they could get! I want to help," Serena protested.

"And I said no," Bryce stated firmly, "Aiden you are welcome to join Ser Gilmore when Duncan observes him, now you two go get cleaned up. I shall see you both at dinner."

"It's so unfair," Serena huffed throwing a pillow violently against the wall above her bed as she paced the opposite length of the room. Aiden sat quietly in a chair beneath one of the high windows watching his friend as she ranted about the unfairness of it all. Over dinner it had been revealed that Fergus had already left for the battlefield at Ostagar, news that was not well received by the youngest Cousland who had still hoped to join said brother in the coming battle. "I am not allowed to take up arms alongside my family members and then my father bans me from even seeing if I'd be fit enough to be called a member of an ancient and respected order! I'm to just sit here on my hands and play house with my mother while a bloody war wages in the South! I could help Aiden," she said flinging both hands up above her head, "I'm a good fighter, and I'm just so sick of not being able to use my talents in a way that actually matters!"

"Perhaps you need to refocus," Aiden said gently. "You will after all be defending Highever, with your father and brother away someone might get bold and try to seize your family home. Or perhaps you presence here is what will keep such a thing from happening, you are quite formidable for a lady, your prowess in combat rather widely known."

"Aiden, I know you mean to soothe me, but this ridiculous flattery must stop," Serena said rolling her eyes but unable to keep the smile from her lips. She sighed loudly and flopped back on her bed, "I just…I want to do something meaningful with my life…I want to help people, and I just don't feel like I can do that properly if I'm stuck playing the woman in this castle. All cozy, and safe," she sneered at the ceiling above her.

"Yes, how positively dreadful your existence truly is My Lady." That comment earned Aiden a pillow to the face, which he placed on the table beside him with a grin.

"I'm acting like a spoiled brat aren't I," Serena said softly a moment later, sighing once again but with less malice. "I should be more grateful and I know it."

"The first step to recovery they say is admittance. Now then, I am stuffed from Nan's feast," Aiden said gaining his feet, "and can therefore ignore the allure of my bed no longer. I shall see you in the morning Milady, until then try to get some sleep and do not worry. Your day shall come, don't rush."

* * *

Late that night Serena was awoken by the low growling of her mabari Orion. She sat up instantly alert, the smell of smoke tickling at her nose made her leap from her bed and hastily begin to pull on the closest garb she could get her hands one which happened to be her discarded training armor from earlier that day. All the while Orion edged closer and closer to her bedroom door, his growls becoming louder and more vicious. "What is it boy? Fire?" Suddenly Serena heard the familiar voice of one of the family servants screaming, "Milady! Milady, we are under attack!" Serena's heart slammed into her throat, and she instantly drew her blades as she rushed from her room just in time to see said servant go down in a hail of arrows.

Anger pushed aside Serena's fear as she and Orion raced towards the attackers spilling into the family's personal wing of the castle. She tore through two men with laughable ease, dodging arrows from a third until her hound tackled the man to the ground ripping open his throat. Serena straightened and turned towards her brother's chambers her thoughts centered on her young nephew Oren.

"Darling are you alright!" At the sound of her mother's voice Serena whirled and a relieved smile tugged up the corners of her mouth. "I am unharmed Mama…what's going on, these men they look like…"

"Howe's," the Teyrna said sounding disgusted, "he's attacking while you brother is away with our men. He means to capture the keep!"

"We need to stop him!"

"Yes, but first quickly, we must get Oren and Oriana." Serena and her mother raced to Fergus' quarters and shoved open the door. The grisly scene before them made Serena stop dead in her tracks, the sound of Eleanor's mortified gasp muffled as a wave of horror numbed her senses. "No," the Teyrna cried falling to her knees by the ravaged body of her grandson, "No! My little Oren! What manner of wickedness slaughters innocence!"

Rage like Serena had never felt before pumped through her veins. "I will kill that bastard and _destroy_ all he holds dear." Eleanor's gaze swung to her daughter still standing in the doorway behind her and her eyes widened. It was like looking at someone she had never seen before, malicious fury burned in her daughter's usually bright and laughing eyes. The Teyrna rallied herself and stood, "As I feared, Howe is not taking hostages. We need to find your father."

"He was not with you," Serena asked suddenly alarmed. "He never came to bed, he stayed up to talk with Howe…" The implication of her mother's statement hung in the air like a thick putrid fog that burned at the back of Serena's throat already raw with emotion. She shoved it aside. She would mourn later, over the corpse of Arl Rendon Howe. "Are you fit to fight Mother?"

"A man who called himself my husband's friend has butchered my grandson in cold blood and threatens the rest of my home, Darling I am fit to kill." Orion growled in agreement.

The two women and Orion made their way down to the lower levels of the castle, fighting their way through small patrols of Howe's men and collecting any survivors well enough to stand with them as they went. Serena was beginning to feel the strain of the battle, her worries both confirmed and those yet to be validated, gnawed at her already frayed nerves. _Where was her father? Was he even alive? Where was Ser Gilmore and Aiden, surely if they were alright they would have come to find them already? How was she going to keep her mother safe? Maker, what was she going to tell her brother..._

"Serena," Eleanor's shout snapped the youngest Cousland out of her thoughts and Serena snarled as she found herself facing down a contingent of heavily armed men. The man leading the group was one of Howe's Knights, Ser Harold if Serena's memory was correct, and unfortunately talented with the heavy maul he carried. Serena glanced back at her mother and the servants who had managed to arm themselves and join them in the fight, none of them would be able to engage the Knight directly, he would crush them into dust. Serena spun her daggers in each hand, gripping them tightly as the Knight started towards them. "Come on then," she shouted drawing the Knight's full attention as she sprinted towards him.

Sweat poured off of Serena as she danced back barely escaping the reach of the Knight's maul once again. She tried to keep her breathing even, waiting for the right moment to strike at one of the vulnerable points in the Knight's armor. _Just like fighting Aiden in practice, you can do this,_ she thought to herself. Only this Knight was more experienced and wanted her dead whereas her friend rarely engaged her fully even when they were using blunted weapons. The Knight raised his maul, Serena ducked and rolled forward anticipating his swing, aiming her dagger at the gap at the back of the Knight's armored knee, but at the last second the Knight lurched back and landed a punishing kick to Serena's left side. She crashed back against the nearby wall gasping as pain blossomed in her ribs. She shook her head and moved to stand but suddenly realized the Knight was already there, his maul raised high above his helmed head. Serena heard her mother scream, but it sounded so far away as the maul swung towards her. She briefly wondered if she would feel her skull being crushed.

The loud clang of steel against steel jarred Serena from her fear induced daze and she gaped up as a helmless and bloody Aiden shoved the Knight back, his greatsword glinting in the firelight. Serena quickly scrambled onto her feet moving to assist the servants and her mother in dispatching Howe's other soldiers, her gaze flicking back to Aiden every so often. Her friend was a large man, built for the harsh Ferelden winters of the north, and trained to wield a sword since his childhood. Each blow he struck against the Knight forced the man to stagger back under its power. Shouting a mighty war cry that sent a shiver down Serena's spine, Aiden lunged forward punching his blade through the heavy breastplate of the knight's armor until it emerged out the other side. He ripped his sword free of the body and turned to march over to the Teyrna, her daughter, and the rest of their huddled party of random servants.

"Milady, your Ladyship, are you both alright?"

"They killed Oriana and Oren," Serena sobbed, startled as she realized she had been crying. Aiden's eyes closed briefly as his lips pressed together in a hard line.

"I am sorry," he said his sad gaze moving from his friend to her mother who nodded fighting her own tears.

"We are glad to see you Ser Amell," Eleanor said softly, "Pray tell have you seen my husband?" Aiden shook his head, the sweat damped tendrils sticking to his grime smeared forehead.

"I have not My Lady, Ser Gilmore and some of the other soldiers not killed in the initial attack are holding the doors in the Main Hall, he might know where your husband is. I will guide you to him, I think I cleared the way for the most part…also there is this," Aiden said reaching to remove a familiar scabbard tied at his hip. He held it out to Serena who took the blade in slightly trembling hands.

"Our family sword…thank you Aiden," Serena said brushing a few tears from her eyes. After composing herself she looked up at him the fire back in her gaze and commanded, "Take us to the Main Hall."

* * *

 _"Aiden, you stay with the Teyrna and her ladyship, keep them safe. We will hold the door as long as we are able. We shall try to give you all time to reach the Teyrn and escape…"_

Ser Gilmore's final words to Aiden rang in his ears; should he have stayed with his fellows? Would it have made any real difference? Should he have taken the bleeding Teyrn and carried him to safety regardless of his and the Teyrna's protests? From his place atop his borrowed horse Aiden turned to look over at his friend, possibly the last surviving member of a once proud and noble family, all gone in the matter of a few bloody hours because of one man's insatiable greed.

Serena's face was a mask of stoic calm; a façade beneath which Aiden knew raged a plethora of harsh emotions. But she dared not feel anything just yet, even as she saw again and again the pale corpses of her brother's wife and child, the sweat dampened face of Ser Gilmore as his eyes sought hers one last time, her mother's love for her father so powerful she would not leave him even knowing it meant her death… _Why? Why had Howe turned on them? Was he really so corrupted by greed?_ And now she was to become a Grey Warden...something just a few hours ago she had been complaining she would never get the chance to be… She felt entirely responsible.

Aiden cleared his throat moving his mount so that it walked side by side Serena's. Orion looked up from his place on the ground and whined softly at his mistress, biding her with his all too intelligent eyes to say something. "Serena," Aiden said reaching over to place a gauntleted hand over her own.

"Let's stop and walk around for a bit?" She nodded in agreement even though she was uncertain her legs would support her any longer. Aiden glanced at Duncan who nodded understanding and tactfully muttered something about scouting ahead. The dark haired guardsman slid down from his mount and reached up to assist his friend who swayed slightly before steadying herself. He tied their horses to the low branches of a nearby tree then took Serena's hand and tugged her deeper into the forest away from the road.

They stopped when they reached a small clearing. It was so beautiful, the moonlight filtering down through the trees, the stars bright and clear overhead reflecting in the small brook that carved a shallow path through the ankle high grass nearby. Serena stared at the scene in awe, how could the world still be so wonderful…didn't the trees know of her sorrow? Did the sky not understand she had just lost nearly everyone and everything she had ever held dear?

"It should be raining," she whispered softly to no one particular, then turning to Aiden with tears in her eyes, "The world has no right to be so pretty this night…Aiden," she choked on a half-formed sob as her hand clenched into tight fists, "they're gone…they're all gone…gone," Serena wailed the tears beginning to fall.

Without warning Serena drew her daggers and turned to viciously slash the closest tree. She screamed her fury and frustration and pain until her words were replaced with sobs. At one point her blade chipped she struck the tree so hard, the blow making Aiden wince as he watched, silent steady tears rolling down his own cheeks.

The Couslands had been his family for years, each of them good honest people. He remembered how the Teyrn had taken him in, set about personally teaching him how to wield a sword alongside Serena's older brother and Ser Gilmore and more recently…Aiden gripped his own arms as they lay crossed across his chest as his mind replayed the scene in the pantry.

 _The Teyrna refusing to leave her husband, telling Serena she loved her and to go make her proud and bring justice to Howe. How he had insisted on staying behind to maybe buy them more time. Eleanor had turned to him frowning, tears in her silvery eyes as she said to him, "You will go with Serena, Aiden you are like a son to me, I could not bear to see you die…now go, the both of you!"_

Aiden bit his lip struggling with the emotions the memory of Eleanor's words invoked. Serena slashed once more at the tree before her before her shaking limbs gave out and her bruised hands lost their grip on her daggers. She collapsed to her knees with a long loud cry that tore through the night like the howl of a wounded and dying animal. She stayed on her knees crying quietly feeling spent and empty.

What was she supposed to do now?

Suddenly Aiden's strong familiar arms picked her up, circling around her and holding her against his solid frame in a hug. She leaned against him and hugged him back, he was possibly the only family she had left in the world. "We have to bring Howe to justice…" she whispered softly after a few long minutes, and felt Aiden's chin brush the top of her head as he nodded his agreement.

"We will," Aiden promised her in a gruff voice. "We are going to avenge your family Serena, I swear it."

"No Aiden…" Serena said startling him as she pulled back until she could look him in the eye, " _we_ are going to avenge _our_ family." At that moment Orion wormed his way between their legs and let out a small bark of agreement. Serena let out a tiny half-laugh half-sob as she and Aiden both knelt down to hug one another with Orion sandwiched in between them. Howe had taken much, but he had not taken everything.


	4. Chapter 4: Meet and Greet

The ride to the battlefield of Ostagar was long and hard, but they reached it in fewer than two days' time, and apparently just before the battle that would end the war against the creatures known as Darkspawn, if one held the same confidence as King Calain anyway.

Aiden stood back with Orion while Serena and Duncan spoke to the young ruler not really all that impressed with the King's massive show of bravado. He was however pleased when Calain had sworn to Serena that he would turn his army north and bring Howe to justice once business at Ostagar had been taken care of. The youngest Cousland had nodded and thanked her King who excused himself to attend to business elsewhere in camp. "He sounds very confident about the upcoming battle, will it really go as smoothly as he says Duncan," Serena asked sounding skeptical.

The senior Warden motioned for the trio to follow him. As they walked Duncan expressed his thoughts on the approaching skirmish. "I am of the mind that we should wait for our brothers and sisters from the Orlesian Grey Wardens to arrive, but King Calain is determined to put an end to this Blight in one decisive battle."

"And," Aiden pried wondering what the Warden's true opinion was.

"And he is my King so I shall do as he commands," Duncan said dismissing the idea of further discussion with his firm tone. "Now then, you two should head into camp, I will keep your hound with me Lady Cousland. Our Ash Warriors train mabari as well and I do not wish for them to mistake your hound for one of their own." Serena nodded understanding, Duncan continued, "You should seek out the other recruits Ser Jory and Daveth, get acquainted with them as you shall be going through your Joining together. The Joining itself will take place tomorrow, until then go find the Grey Warden named Alistair, he will help you settle in for the evening." Aiden and Serena nodded and after saying goodbyes to Orion and Duncan made their way into camp.

As they wandered about Aiden noticed quite a few of the other men sizing him up. He coolly returned their glares with a withering stare of his own, uncertain whether the cause of their hostility was some unspoken pecking order or the fact that he was currently traipsing about with easily one of the most beautiful woman in the entire vicinity. Aiden would have been willing to bet his sword that it was the latter. For her part Serena was oblivious to the stares and glares directed their way, her attention fully fixated on seeking out the other new recruits Duncan had mentioned.

They ran into the knight Ser Jory and after a brief nerve grating conversation continued their search for the man named Daveth. Aiden quietly mentioned that he hoped the other recruit was not as skittish and annoying. The tan smooth talking rogue ended up being the immediate favorite out of the two. He flirted with Serena shamelessly, delighting when she threw everything back in his face. Aiden found himself chuckling at their antics, it felt good to relax even for just a short while. Daveth also turned out to be a touch more informative than his counterpart Ser Jory, and shared what he had managed to learn about the Joining Ritual with them in hushed tones.

After thanking Daveth the duo moved on to speak with the camp's blacksmith. They purchased two decently sized packs, a few health poultices, and a new dagger to replace the one Serena had chipped. After much deliberation they decided to forgo upgrading their armor, and Aiden outright refused to purchase a helm complaining about how they made him feel as if he were slowly suffocating and limited his view of the battlefield.

The two bickered about this as they made their way up towards the northern section of camp. Serena frowned stalwartly up at her friend as she argued her case, "And what happens when some rogue decides to take full advantage of the opening you are giving them on a gilded platter? You know Aiden, for someone who just a day ago was so keen on keeping his head intact, your refusal to properly protect that particular extremity makes very little sense to me."

"I hate not being able to see what's going on around me, if I don't have a helm I'm much more likely to avoid a blow to my skull because I'll see it coming! And why else would I wear armor with such high built pauldrons? They are supposed to stop incoming blows to my head, thusly rendering a helm useless."

"I still think you are taking an unnecessary risk in foregoing that particular piece of armor," Serena grumbled as they reached the top of the ramp. She suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, her gaze fixated before her.

"Milady?" Aiden asked as his gaze followed hers coming to a stop once it reached the scene up ahead. "Oh," Aiden murmured quietly his eyes raking over the tall blonde man currently engaged in a heated conversation with a mage. The twosome gawked quietly, both stifling chuckles at the blonde told the mage he had been about to name one of his children after him, the grumpy one. After that glorious exchange of dialogue the mage stormed past them, bumping into Aiden as he did so and snarling "Get out of my way fool." The blonde walked towards them then shaking his head, "Well one good thing about the Blights is how it brings people together," he said directing his words at no one in particular.

Serena giggled, "Indeed," she replied earning her a smile from the handsome man. "Neither of you are mages right? I'd rather not argue with anyone else today…I'll be getting an earful from Duncan as it is after that little exchange."

"Duncan," Aiden wondered aloud quickly putting two and two together, "Are you Alistair then?"

"Yep that's me," the blonde said giving them a shallow bow, "Alistair the Grey Warden at your service…wait, are you the two new recruits I was told about? I'm sorry what were your names again, I can't remember…" Alistair admitted sending Serena a sheepish look. She smiled at him and motioned to the impressive looking man at her side.

"This is my lifelong friend Aiden Amell, a former man at arms from an estate in Highever. And I am called Serena." Aiden lifted a brow uncertain what to make of how his friend purposely did not mention her title, but noting the pleading glance she sent him Aiden did nothing to correct her.

"From up north eh," Alistair said giving Aiden a quick once over, "They build you men bigger from up there. It isn't fair to us poor little flat-landers," he said feigning a pout before shifting to look at Serena. _And their women beautiful,_ he thought to himself not daring to say the words out loud lest the stunning creature before him take offense and slap him. Or worse, her 'friend' turn out to be more than just a 'friend' and beating him into a heap of blithering mush. "Have you two settled in at all, or has Duncan had you both wandering the camp in search of me?"

"We did make the acquaintance of the other new recruits," Aiden said, "Other than that and gaining some new gear we haven't done anything else. We only just arrived a few hours ago." Alistair reassessed the couple before him and instantly berated himself for not noticing the dark circles under their eyes or the suspiciously loud rumbling coming from Aiden's stomach.

"Well follow me and let's get you both something to eat and then find somewhere for you to rest. You look like you could use it."

"Thank you, we would appreciate that," Serena said as she and Aiden fell into step on either side of Alistair. The youngest Warden lead them to the cook's tent and after explaining they had only just arrived was given two large bowls of stew along with a chunk of bread and an apple each. Next he took them to a storage 'pile' of sorts and tugged two sleeping bags from the heap of equipment. "You can pretty much sleep wherever you please, as long as you know you aren't sneaking into the King's tent or anything like that," Alistair told them as they all sat beneath the shade of a tree, Serena and Aiden munching away happily at their meal.

"It is going to be odd not having Orion sleeping beside me," Serena mussed softly, her brow furrowing into a frown as she silently added _and cold._ Alistair blushed slightly as he asked, "Orion eh? Your husband is also to become a Grey Warden then? Or is he a member of the King's army?" Serena's eyes widened and she choked on her bite of stew as Aiden burst into laughter, Alistair's eyes widened and his blush deepened as he stammered out, "I…I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"I am most certainly NOT married Alistair," Serena managed to choke out between coughs.

"Orion is her mabari hound," Aiden explained further leaning over to pat his friend on the back and hand her a flask of water to help ease the tickle in her throat.

"Oh," Alistair said in a small voice, "Well…yes, that was going to be my third guess."

"Third," Serena echoed quizzically, "dare I ask what your second guess was going to be?" Alistair had turned an excellent shade of pink by then, and Aiden found himself having a hard time not laughing until his sides split over the look on the Warden's face as he answered Serena.

"Well…if you weren't married…well…it could have been a um…male 'friend' or something like that…" Serena Cousland's face flushed at the idea of sleeping with a man 'casually', not that she hadn't had her fair share of fantasies where she was doing just that, but theory and practice were two very different things. Aiden slapped Alistair on the back hard enough to force a gust of air to whoosh out of the Warden's lungs.

"Alistair my friend, Serena here is the most _un_ -attached female in all of Ferelden! She answers to no man, never has, probably never will," Aiden said with a wink in Serena's direction.

She rolled her eyes and retorted in a voice dripping with sarcasm, "Yes, yes Aiden. I am well aware that I would make a terrible wife."

"I bet they still call you the Ice-Maiden in court," Aiden teased.

"You're a member of nobility," Alistair asked Serena somewhat taken aback, but not really surprised. She _looked_ noble and her mannerisms were, for the most part, those of a highborn woman. Serena glared at Aiden, the laughter gone from her pale grey blue eyes as she let out an irritated sigh before answering Alistair.

"Yes. I am the youngest child of the former Teyrn and Teyrna of Highever." The Couslands, a name Alistair knew well, everyone did, after all the family was second in power only to the King himself. Serena braced for the inevitable onslaught of questions; _should I call you Milady now? Should I bow when I greet you? What is your status in court? How much land does your family own exactly?_

"So, why did they call you Ice-Maiden at court?" Alistair's question had obviously not been the one she was expecting, and for a second she just stared at him as if he'd gone and sprouted a second head. Then she grinned at him, the warmth returning to her eyes. Maker be praised, Alistair thought, he'd actually said the right thing for once!

"She flat out turned down the King's marriage proposal," Aiden supplied when Serena did not answer right away. Coming to her senses Serena hurried to defend her behavior.

"He caught me off-guard and I did turn him down _very_ politely," she added with a firm nod. Aiden let out a loud snort of laughter, "Yeah 'politely' in front of the entire court! You made him look like a complete fool."

"Well apparently he got over it because he was very courteous to me when we arrived here, and he married Anora anyhow. His father's best friend's daughter, you couldn't ask for a better match than that right?"

"Evidently you can ask, but don't count on receiving where Bryce Cousland's little girl is concerned," Aiden said laughing deeply as Serena flushed bright pink.

"You really turned down King Calain," Alistair asked laughing as well, "in front of the entire royal court?"

"It was NOT the ENTIRE royal court," Serena insisted, "I'm quite certain that Bann Darby's family was not in attendance!"

"Maker you are right Milady, that makes _all_ the difference," Aiden said doing his best to maintain the wide eyed look on his face even as Serena punched him in the arm.

"Why must you pick on me so," she said glaring up at her friend.

"Because it's fun of course," Aiden retorted laughing in Serena's face causing her to roll her eyes.

"You see what I have to put up with," she asked Alistair shaking her head. "By the way, I would appreciate it very much if you didn't go around telling everyone who I am…it is…well it's annoying, how people treat you differently once they find out you're 'nobility'. Besides, I'm no longer in such a position…"

"What do you mean," Alistair asked curiously. The light didn't just fade from Serena's eyes this time, it died. She set aside her bowl of half eaten stew and got up rather quickly, muttering "Excuse me," before striding away quickly. Aiden's face was suddenly serious once again as he watched her go.

"Did I say something offensive," Alistair asked. The black haired man shook his head, "No…it is just a sensitive topic. I'm sorry but out of respect for my friend I cannot tell you more than that. She will explain herself to you when she is ready. Thank you again for all of your help Alistair, we shall see you tomorrow then?"

"Of course, I shall see you both tomorrow once you are both ready to begin the Joining," Alistair said standing to leave, knowing he had been effectively dismissed.

Aiden did not see Serena again until after dark when she approached him where he sat waiting patiently under the same tree they had eaten with Alistair earlier that day. A small fire burned cheerfully just past his feet warming their bedrolls and blankets Aiden had unrolled and positioned in a partial triangle around the blaze. "Are you tired," he asked to which Serena nodded. He stood and pulled his friend into a loose hug. She slumped against him and let out a weary sigh.

"Do you think the pain will ever fade…"she asked in a whisper. Since he had wondered the same thing and did not readily have an answer Aiden stepped back and gently led Serena to one of the makeshift beds without offering an answer.

"Get some rest, tomorrow we have much to do." Serena nodded, slipping beneath her covers and rolling onto her stomach and tucking her face into her arms. Aiden felt his own exhaustion hit him then and settled in as well, both of them falling into a deep sleep in mere minutes.

All too soon the sounds of people moving about the camp and the bright beams of sunlight roused Serena from her blissful slumber. Her body ached from the intense fighting she had gone through just a few days ago, not to mention the hard ride across Ferelden that had come immediately afterwards, and sleeping on the hard earth now…every muscle, every joint in her body seemed to scream in protest as she began to get up. Once standing Serena glanced over at Aiden and smiled softly. Her tall broad shouldered friend was still fast asleep, laying on his back his sword lying alongside him, one hand resting protectively on the hilt. Aiden Amell, her personal man-at-arms, Serena thought to herself moving to stretch her sore body.

Alistair had awoken early, unable to sleep much because of some intense nightmares, and made a beeline for the cook's tent. After procuring three bowls of oatmeal, a task that took a fair bit of convincing the head cook that he was in fact _sharing_ , he made his way over to where he had seen Aiden set up Lady Cousland and his own bedrolls. He stopped short perhaps fifteen paces away from the new recruit's makeshift camp and simply watched as Serena Cousland twisted herself into some form of human pretzel. She stood tall and straight and after inhaling deeply lifted her left leg and pulled it up until her foot pointed up above her head, then repeated with the opposite leg. _Maker how does a person become that flexible!_

After cracking her lower back Serena swore she felt eyes watching her and turned to find none other than Alistair standing a little ways off. She smiled and waved at him to come over. He started then a smile broke out across his handsome face as he hurried over, "I brought breakfast," he announced proudly handing a bowl of hot mush over to Serena. She sniffed the contents of the bowl and let out a contented noise, "This smells wonderful, is that…brown sugar in there?"

"Indeed," Alistair said glancing over at Aiden, "the cook managed to get some, Maker knows how though. She's just good like that I guess. Should we wake him?"

"I'm up," Aiden said causing Alistair to jump. "Andraste's flaming…have you been awake the entire time I've been standing here?"

"Yes," Aiden replied, a cheeky grin pulling up his lips. He opened his eyes and sat up, accepting the bowl Alistair handed him with a thanks.

"I couldn't tell," Alistair finally blurted out as he took a seat on the ground to Aiden's left. The warrior chuckled, "I've been told I have a face made for playing cards."

"Or scaring the wits out of poor people like me!" With that said they all dove into their breakfast, after which Serena and Aiden tucked their bedrolls into their packs while Alistair returned the bowls to the cook's tent. By the time he got back the pair was up and ready to go. He led them through the camp and towards a large fire stationed between a few crumbling pillars. Daveth and Ser Jory were already there with Duncan and Orion.

"How are you two doing," Duncan asked, watching the new arrivals with a critical eye. "We are fed and well rested," Serena responded, "thank you." Her answer seemed sufficient to the Grey Warden commander who nodded before addressing them all. He quickly explained that in order to complete the ritual that would make, hopefully, all of them Grey Wardens they needed four vials of Darkspawn blood. Duncan also added that there was a chest containing important documents that had been lost in the Korcari Wilds, and that it was imperative that they retrieve them.

"Four vials of blood, and find the documents," Aiden repeated back to Duncan with a sharp nod, "understood." Orion barked his understanding of Duncan's directions as well before trotting over to stand between his mistress and Aiden.

"Maker watch over you," Duncan said dismissing them. They all turned to follow after Alistair who led them out past the large gates separating the camp from the dangerous wilderness beyond.


End file.
